Kings and Dynasties of India - Rulers of India and More History Videos - Mocomi Kids

The Pandyas One of the three ancient kingdoms in the south of India was the Pandyan kingdom who ruled over Tamil Nadu until the end of the 15th century. Korkai was their capital but then the capital was moved to Madurai. The Pandyas expanded their kingdom and controlled the districts which are known as Madurai and Tirunelveli. Tamil Nadu was divided between the Pallavas and the Pandyas. The Pandyan empire was established by the emperor Kadungan in the 6th century. The Pandyas excelled in trading through the seas from Dhanushkodi and Poompuhar which spread as far as Rome and Greece all the way up to China, Malaysia and Maldives. The Pandyas produced the finest pearls along the south Indian coast. The Pandyan kingdom was often subdued during clashes with the Pallavas and the Cholas. This happened because as their kingdom expanded, their neighbours, feeling threatened by them, attacked. Several Pandyan kings helped in the revival of the Pandyas but it was Mahavarman Kulasekhra who led this revival. After his death, his two sons Sundara and Veera fought against each other for the throne. The Delhi Sultanate took advantage and raided the kingdom which ended the Pandyan rule. In the year 520 BC, two kings from Persia, Darius and Cyrus invaded northwestern India and conquered the Indus valley, after which they ruled for one and a half centuries. When the Greek army headed by Alexander the Great invaded parts of northwestern India, he got engaged in an epic battle with the local ruler of Punjab, Raja Puru and emerged victorious. But impressed with Puru's bravery, he appointed him general of the land. Although Alexander's army won, they refused to go any further than Jalandhar. Rumour had it that a mighty Indian army was waiting to fight them on the other side of the Indus river. Alexander left India after naming some of his generals as governors of his provinces. But in a few years, Indian forces chased away most of the generals. Persian and Greek invasions had a great impact on the political systems of India. The region of Gandhar became a mix of cultures, Indian, Persian, Central Asian and Greek. This gave rise to a new culture called Greco-Buddhism which lasted till the 5th century. The Chola dynasty is believed to have originated from the fertile valley of the river Kaveri. By the turn of the 18th century, there were three prominent kingdoms of the south, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Cholas who were considered to be the most powerful of the three. The year 985 saw one of the greatest kings of southern India ascend the throne, Raja Raja Chola I, also known as Raja Raja the Great, who defeated the eastern Chalukyas of Bengai, the Pandyas of Madurai and the Gangas of Mysore. His campaign of expansion included the capture of Sri Lanka which remained under the Chola rule for 75 years. He also conquered the islands of the Maldives and even sent missions to Indonesia. Being an able administrator and a great lover of architecture, he commissioned the building of the magnificent temple of Tanjore. The temple is named Raja Rajeshwar after him. Rajendra Chola, the heir and son of Raja Raja Chola I, took over the kingdom after his father's death and was an able ruler just like him. His greatest achievement included the conquest of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. He conquered lands right up to the banks of the river Ganga. From the holy river, he collected the sacred water in golden pots and poured it into a tank he called Chola Ganga. He then adopted the title of Gangaikonda, which means victor of the Ganga. The period under his reign came to be known as the golden age of the Cholas. Art, music, dance, poetry, drama, sculpture, painting, philosophy and religion all reached new heights. Temples were the centre of all activities where the courtyard served as a school for students who were taught ancient Vedas and scriptures. It was also built to be used as a shelter by people in case of an emergency. The Cholas continued to lay much emphasis on architecture. Magnificent temples were built. The Brihadeeshwara temple at Tanjore is a prime example. Another famed art form of the time were the carved bronze statues. The Natraja and the Ardhanaleshwara are famous examples of this art form. The Eastern Chalukyas and the Cholas had intermarried through the generations and thus a new clan was born. Rajendra Chola's daughter was married to the Chalukya prince Vimaladitya. One of the Chalukya Chola rulers was Rajendra II, an Eastern Chalukyan prince who called himself Kulottunga or star of the dynasty. Under his rule, Sri Lanka gained independence from the Chola rule. His reign was of peace and prosperity. Trade with Southeast Asia aroused with many diplomatic missions sent to China. Around the year 1118, however, the Chalukya Chola rulers lost control of Vengai to the Western Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI. The future Chola kings all faced trouble in one way or the other. They were constantly assaulted. By the 13th century, the Pandyan monarchs were gaining strength. The Chola empire shrank to the region around Tanjore and soon came to an end when the last Chola king, Raja Raja III died. Right after Alexander's departure from India, Chandragupta Maurya invaded Central and Western India. With Pataliputra as its capital near Patna, he had occupied Northwestern India in its entirety by the year 316 BC. The great strategist and minister Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, was one of Chandragupta Maurya's closest advisors. At Chanakya's behest, Chandragupta took over the throne of Magadha from Nanda dynasty, which was ruled by the corrupt king Dhana. The empire stretched north all the way up to the Himalayas, north of India, and to the far west to the present-day Pakistan. During this time, Chanakya went on to write the Arthashastra, one of the greatest collections of observations and manuals on economics, politics, foreign affairs, administration, warfare, and politics. Ashoka Ashoka was headquartered in Magadh in Bihar. His kingdom stretched from Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west to Assam and Bangladesh in the east and as far as Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in the south. Within eight years of ascending the throne, Ashoka expanded his empire to regions in Iran and Persia. His quest to expand his empire, however, would change after the bloody Battle of Kalinga. In his younger days, Ashoka is said to have had a massive temper and was considered to be a very cruel person. He was nicknamed Chand Ashoka, which meant Ashoka the Fierce. Kalinga was a state in the fertile land between Godavari and Mahanadi rivers. Ashoka invaded this kingdom after they refused to bow down to him. It is said that a hundred thousand soldiers of the Kalinga army died in this war and Ashoka too lost around ten thousand of his men. After the battle, Ashoka was very moved by the devastation he had caused. He saw burnt houses and scattered corpse all around and the wails of the mourners pierced his ears. Ashoka adopted Buddhism soon after, embracing its message of peace. He made it the state religion and propagated its message within the boundaries of his kingdom as well as other parts of the world. He built thousands of stupas and viharas that stand until today. During his reign, Ashoka built many universities, water transit and irrigation systems to promote trade and agriculture. He constructed hospitals and renovated major roads throughout his kingdom and treated his subjects equally regardless of their politics, culture or class. All our knowledge of Ashoka's rule is from inscriptions he had carved on pillars and rocks throughout his kingdom. They all speak of compassionate living and spreading peace and love. After forty years on the throne, Ashoka breathed his last at the ripe age of seventy-two. He left behind a legacy of an able ruler and lawmaker, a hero, a monk and a noble preacher of dharma. Ashoka was the last of the great kings of the modern dynasty that eventually fell apart fifty years later. The Cheras The lands south of the modern empire which included the Malabar coast, Karur, Coimbatore and Salem districts in south India were all part of the Chera kingdom. The Chera capital was Thiruvanchikulam. Udiyan Cheralatan, the first Chera king, is accredited with founding the dynasty. Udiyan's son, Imayavaramban Nedun Cheralatan, through his grit and determination, was responsible for making the Cheras one of the most powerful kingdoms in the south. He ruled for fifty-eight years and won multiple battles and wars, the most famous of which was against his sworn enemies, the Karambas of Banasvi. Imayavaramban not only extended his kingdom, he also supported the local arts, culture and literature during his reign. With strong overseas links with places like Rome, the kingdom prospered immensely. The trade consisted mainly of spices, ivory and sandalwood. This period of success was followed by the Kalabhras overthrowing the Cheras. The Cheras, however, overthrew the Kalabhras and the second Chera empire was founded with Mahodyapuram as their capital. During this time of Sthanu Ravi Varman, trade flourished with China and Kerala amongst other places and there was peace between them and the Cholas. However, with Sthanu's death, the relationship between the Cheras and Cholas turned sour. After the death of Ravi Varman Kulasekhar, the last king, the Chera empire disintegrated and the Cholas took over. The Pallavas The south of India has seen many empires. However, one of the most powerful to exist in that region was the Pallava dynasty. The Pallavas were great conquerors and patrons of art and architecture. They ruled for nearly 500 years. The Pallavas initially conquered the region of Tondai Mandalam in Pallavapuri right on the coastline. Shortly thereafter, a natural disaster occurred and the entire area was washed away by the sea. The Pallavas then moved to Kanchipuram and it was from there that they built their mighty empire which extended from northern Orissa to Tanjore and Trichy in the far south. Believed to be the first Pallav ruler who ruled in the early part of the 4th century. Skanda Varman extended his territories from the Krishna river to Pennar in the south all the way across to Bellary in the west. After having performed the Ashwamedha and various Vedic rituals, he earned the title of Supreme King of Kings devoted to Dharma. During the period of 350-575 BC, there were over 16 kings who ruled. King Sambhasivu ruled from 560-580 BC. He was a strong ruler who defeated the Cholas, Pandyas and Kalabhras which were the original rulers of the southern region. Sambhasivu was a Vaishnavite, a devotee of Lord Vishnu and his portrait is present in the Adivaraha temple in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. Sambhasivu was followed by his son Mahendra Varman who ruled from 600-630 BC. Mahendra Varman was a very learned person, a poet and a skilled musician. His instrument of choice was the Veena. He was also a patron of the arts, music and architecture which flourished during his reign. The stunning cave temples of Mahabalipuram near Chennai were initiated by Mahendra Varman. Narasimha Varman was Mahendra Varman's brave and intelligent son. He had taken control of Badami and continued to rule over it for 13 years. With his powerful navy, he also helped the king of Simhala, Sri Lanka to get back his lost kingdom. Narasimha Varman during his reign completed the beautiful temples of Mahabalipuram. He also built a host of other temples like the Kailasantha temple at Kanchipuram and the Shora temple. He was a great wrestler and had earned the title of Maamala, which is why Mahabalipuram is also known as Maamalapuram. King Harshavardhan The downfall of the Gupta Empire in the middle of the 6th century brought about the breakup of the northern Indian kingdom into many small republics and monarchy states. Prabhakar Vardhan, ruler of Sthanaviswara, Thanesar in present day Haryana, was the first ruler of the Vardhana dynasty. He had two sons, the eldest son Rajavardhan who ascended the throne after his father and his youngest son Harshavardhan. Rajavardhan was deceived and murdered by King Gauda, at which point the young 16-year-old Harsha swore to take revenge. Harsha waged war against King Gauda and won the battle. Harsha was consequently crowned the new ruler. He first united the kingdoms of Thanesar and Kannauj and then went on to bring Bihar, Bengal and Odisha under his command. Harsha then moved towards the south only to be stopped by Pulakeshi II of Vatapi. As a result, the Narmada became the southern limit of Harsha's empire. He was also an author of repute, having penned Sanskrit plays like Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarsika. Bana Bhatta, Harsha's court poet, wrote the Harsha Charitam, the first historical poetic work on King Harsha. Harsha's capital city, Kannauj, extended 6-8 km along the river Ganges. He also had a systematic tax structure in place. One-fourth of the taxes went towards the administration of his empire. The rest was given away to charities and to further the arts and cultural endeavours in his kingdom. Later on in his life, King Harsha, a Shaivite by birth, became a follower of Buddhism. Under him, all religions and schools of thought like Jainism and Buddhism enjoyed freedom of expression. Harsha ruled ably for 41 years. With King Harsha's passing, the idea of a single kingdom ruling northern India disintegrated. The Rajputs In the 7th and 8th century, a group of people emerged who called themselves Rajputs, which meant sons of kings. They were warriors who hailed from Rajasthan and parts of central India. Rajputs were known for their courage and loyalty. Rajput women were trained for war and did not hesitate to go into the battlefield if their men were outnumbered. However, if the king and all his men were killed in a battle, Rajput women preferred to commit suicide rather than allow themselves to be taken as prisoners. This ritual was known as Johar. One of the most prominent Rajput kings was Prithviraj Johan. He ascended the throne at the age of 13 after the death of his father. He was adept at military targets and was known to hit moving targets merely by listening to the sound. His kidnapping of Princess Sayogita is legendary. During her wedding to another man, Prithviraj bravely rode into the venue, abducted her and sped away. Her father's soldiers chased him but were unable to catch him. He got away and married his beloved. In the meantime, he spread his empire and controlled most of Rajasthan and Haryana, unifying Rajputs against Muslim invasion. A Muslim conqueror named Mohammad Shahabuddin Ghori was capturing nearby kingdoms. As he covered more areas, he became a threat to Prithviraj's territory. At the second battle of Tarain, Prithviraj was defeated and captured. It is said that he was tortured and his eyes were blinded with red hot iron rods. Thereafter, in an archery contest, he displayed his skills by hitting targets in spite of being blinded. Ghori is said to have praised him for this feat. On hearing his voice, Prithviraj is believed to have aimed an arrow in his direction that killed his enemy. Maharana Pratap, the ruler of Mewar, is synonymous with Rajput valor and chivalry. He continued his combat with the Mughals and other infiltrators for the rest of his life. Gradually, the power of the Rajputs dwindled as they were no match for the Mughals. When the British arrived in India, the Rajput states became colonies, this ending the reign of the Rajputs forever. India's reputation of being the only known source of diamond mines in the world and its flourishing international trade attracted many invasions. North Indian kingdoms resisted invasions by Arab Turks for centuries. But soon, small Islamic empires or sultanates were established in several parts of the north. Before these invasions, Muslim trading communities who arrived from Arabia in small numbers via the Indian Ocean were already trading in the coastal South India, especially Kerala. Arabs, Turks and Afghans invaded parts of North India and established the Delhi Sultanate in the former Rajput regions during the 12th and 13th century. There was a great impact on culture with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. An Indo-Muslim culture evolved and this could be seen in architecture, music, literature and religion. The language of Urdu was developed at this time which is said to be a mix of Sanskrit, Persian, Turkish and Arabic. The Delhi Sultanate was the only Indo-Islamic empire which placed Razia Sultan, a woman, on the throne. Qutub-ud-Din Aibak was responsible for establishing the Delhi Sultanate. Shams-ud-Din-il-Tamish then later established a Turkish kingdom in Delhi-Timur. Timur, a Turkish-Mongol conqueror, launched a massive campaign to invade India. He attacked Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mehmood of the Tughlaq dynasty in Delhi, leaving the city in ruins. Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire. Babur, with the help of his armies and the advantage of superior cavalry tactics, firearms and guns, defeated the last of the Sultans, Ibrahim Shah Lodi, in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Babur was succeeded by his son Humayun. At the age of 12, his father appointed him as the governor of Badakhshan, and this is where he proved his administrative skills and bravery. Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan general who served under Babur, had gathered an impressive number of loyal and well-trained Afghan soldiers and was one of Humayun's greatest threats. Sher Shah, in the meantime, went about capturing Bihar and Jaunpur, which was under Mughal rule. Facing humiliation, Humayun clashed with Sher Shah two more times. The Second Battle at Kanoj brought an end to Humayun's reign. Afghan rule was established with the capture of Delhi and Agra. Humayun fled to Persia, where he lived in exile for 15 years after being betrayed by his brothers. In exile, his wife gave birth to their son Akbar. After the death of Sher Shah Suri, his empire began to crumble as his successor could not recreate Sher Shah's magic. Humayun, on realizing this, put an army together with the help of a Persian king and marched towards Delhi. The following year, he managed to capture Delhi along with Kabul and Kandahar and defeated Sikandar Suri, Sher Shah's successor, ascending the throne at Agra, thus bringing an end to his days in exile. After ascending the throne, Humayun devoted his time to the state. His greatest achievements lay in the field of painting. He brought several painters from Persia and they laid the foundation for Mughal art and style. From here on, there was a fusion of Persian and Indian styles. Humayun's reign was short-lived. He died in a tragic accident after falling off his library steps. He was succeeded by his son Akbar, who went on to become one of the greatest Mughal kings ever known. Akbar spent his entire childhood learning how to fight and hunt. He had no interest in learning how to read and write. However, Akbar was the only Mughal emperor who was illiterate and still had a penchant for knowledge. Akbar was made king at the age of 13 after the death of his father. Akbar was with Bairam Khan at the time of his father's passing and Bairam was made regent as Akbar was too young. On many occasions, Bairam led campaigns on Akbar's behalf to expand the kingdom. Hemu, the Hindu minister of an Afghan prince, Adil Shah, was waiting for a chance to defeat Akbar. Hemu attacked the kingdom of Delhi and emerged victorious, crowning himself the ruler of Delhi. In retaliation, Akbar launched a scathing attack in the second battle of Panipat. The two armies fought valiantly and it seems as if the Mughals were fighting a losing battle, until an arrow hit Hemu's eye and he fainted. Hemu's men thought that he was dead and put down their weapons accepting defeat. Akbar became king again. He won many more battles and added more regions to his kingdom stretching from the Indo-Ganges basin to Kashmir and Afghanistan all the way down to Bengal in the east and part of Deccan in the south. Although Akbar was a young king, he was shrewd and organized. He got rid of all his ministers whom he felt were overambitious and were looking to covet his position. He removed restrictions on religions and allowed his people to practice the religion of their choice without having to fear for their life. In spite of being illiterate, Akbar was surrounded by scholars such as Birbal, Abul Fazl and Tansen who were all part of the nine gems or Navratnas. Akbar also took keen interest in religion, music, painters, poets and philosophy. He owned a huge collection of books and manuscripts and was also owner of a number of artworks from across the region. His biggest accomplishment, however, lied in architecture. He built great structures like the Jama Masjid that stands tall even today. He even built a palace for his wife close to the Hawa Mahal. Akbar fathered three children, Jahangir, Murad and Daniyal. Jahangir was the only surviving son as the other two died very young. Jahangir and Akbar did not share a very good relationship and were at constant loggerheads with each other. In 1605, Akbar fell very ill and died a slow death. He had managed to bring parts of East, West, North and as well as South India under his rule in his tenure. Akbar's rule is greatly noted for the wealth of learning and culture that existed in his time. He was also admired for his bravery and wisdom. Aurangzeb Aurangzeb, born in 1618, was considered as the last great Mughal emperor. He was the third son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. By the time he turned 16, Shah Jahan gave him the post of the governor of Deccan. Aurangzeb moved to Kirki in the Deccan region which he renamed Aurangabad after him. After some time, Shah Jahan began to favour his eldest son, Dara Shikoh. Aurangzeb soon earned his father's disfavour and was asked to step down from his post. However, after mending ties with his father, he was made governor of Gujarat where he did well and was rewarded. By 1647, he was made governor of Balkh and Badakhshan which lie in the present day Afghanistan and Tajikistan, replacing his ineffective brother Murad Baksh. These areas were constantly attacked by rebels and Aurangzeb managed to quell them with his military skills. When he was appointed as the governor of Multan and Sindh, he engaged in a long battle in an effort to capture Kandahar from the Safavid army. Unfortunately, Aurangzeb failed to do so and once again earned his father's anger. He was once again appointed the governor of Deccan. Soon after Shah Jahan fell ill, all his sons began to fight over the throne. Aurangzeb defeated his brother Dara's army and condemned him to death and took his father as prisoner. He defeated his other brothers too and soon after took over the throne at Agra. His rule lasted 49 years. Although his predecessors were tolerant towards all religions, Aurangzeb enforced strict Islamic law called the Fatwa-e-Alamgiri. He destroyed many Hindu temples, prohibited religious meets and enforced unfair taxes on non-Muslims which Akbar had removed. Aurangzeb extended the empire both in the northwest and northeast. His armies consisted of some 500,000 camp followers, 50,000 camels and 30,000 war elephants. In a quick span of time, he invaded Punjab and Afghanistan. Because of his restrictive rule, Aurangzeb had many enemies, especially the Sikhs. When he insisted that all Kashmir Brahmins must convert to Islam, the helpless Kashmiris turned to the Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur for help. Aurangzeb refused to listen to his pleas and insisted that he too must convert to Islam. When Tegh Bahadur refused, Aurangzeb had him executed which triggered a rebellion from the Sikhs. Aurangzeb's army continued to weaken. It was at that time that his new enemies, the Marathas attacked him led by Shivaji. For 27 years, the two armies fought many battles and only after Shivaji's death in 1680 did Aurangzeb and his army get some respite. This relief was short-lived as the Rajput of Jodhpur and Mewar joined forces and rebelled against Aurangzeb. They declared themselves independent of his rule. Aurangzeb sent his son to quell their rebellions only to learn later that his son would deceive him. Akbar, Aurangzeb's son declared himself king and soon fled to the Deccan where he allied with Shivaji's son Sambhaji. Aurangzeb later sent his son into exile in Persia from where he never returned. Aurangzeb then captured Sambhaji and killed him. The decline of the empire had already begun. Aurangzeb's political power had weakened because of the time he spent on military matters. His governors and generals became powerful and many declared themselves independent rulers. Aurangzeb breathed his last in 1707 though the empire officially came to an end in 1857 when Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was put on trial. It was at that time that the Mughal empire was completely wiped out. Shivaji Raje Shivaji Raje Bhosle was born on 19th February 1630 at the hill fort of Shivmeri near Jinnar in the Pune district. He belonged to the Bhosle clan who founded the Maratha Empire. His mother Jija Bai was a pious and far-sighted lady. Shivaji was extremely devoted to his mother and her religious manner left a great impression on him. Shivaji's father Shahji served alongside Malik Ambar who defended the Deccan region against the Mughals. He always tried to free their kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur and establish a Swaraj empire. By the age of 16, Shivaji managed to gather a band of fiercely loyal Maratha men and set about conquering nearby lands. Their first triumph was the capture of Torna fort of the Bijapur kingdom. By 1647, he had captured Kondana and Rajgarh forts and had control of much of the southern Pune region. In a bid to contain Shivaji, Adil Shah sent his army general Afzal Khan along with 40,000 men to destroy him. Upon weighing his options carefully, Shivaji decided to meet Afzal Khan on his home turf at the base of the Pratapgarh fort insisting that the meeting be an informal one. Afzal agreed. But at the meeting, Afzal Khan stabbed Shivaji in the back when the two embraced each other. Shivaji was well prepared for this and was protected by a chain mail armour he was wearing. He counter-attacked by slaying Afzal Khan with the Vaag Naak, the tiger claw's glove. Afzal's army who were prepared to attack had no idea that their leader had been slain. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb now identified Shivaji as a major threat and sent his uncle Shahista Khan with a large army to defeat him. But he did not stay defeated for long and soon overthrew Khan and re-established his rule. In a few years, he recovered most of his forts. He was even captured on one occasion but managed to plot an ingenious escape plan by hiding in a basket full of fruits. Shivaji's centre of power and growth became the fort of Raigarh in the Raigarh district of Maharashtra. This place became Shivaji's capital city. Perched on top of a hill that was cut off from the western Ghats, the fort was virtually inaccessible from three sides. Under his rule, untouchables were given true justice. They were also recruited in the army as well as promoted. He brought true justice to those who were wronged. The people of his land loved him and truly worshipped him. He allowed his people to follow their religion of choice. He also allowed people to convert back to being a Hindu after being converted to Islam by Aurangzeb. He ensured that respect was given to mosques and also to Muslim women. Because of these qualities, he inspired his people so much that the Maratha Empire continued to fight the Mughal rule for 27 years after his death. Shivaji greets his last in 1680 but is fondly remembered for his acts of bravery and kindness towards his people even today. His birthday is celebrated with grand fervour amongst Maharashtrians. Haider Ali The Wodeyar dynasty, one of the most prominent dynasties of the south, ruled the kingdom of Mysore. Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan made their mark in this region. Haider Ali was born at Budhikot around the year 1720. He started off his career as a soldier. He was a petty officer in the army and was assistant to the Nizam who was the Mughal deputy in south India. When the Nizam was assassinated, a lot of confusion followed and in the midst of all the chaos, Haider Ali's services attracted the attention of Nanjiraj, the minister of the Raja of Mysore. Haider Ali received an independent command and over the next 12 years, the minister and the king depended on him and were under his control. Haider Ali rose in ranks until he replaced the king. He extended his empire right up to the lands in the north beyond the Tungabhadra river. He spent much of his time in building up a strong army to deal with the Marathas in the northwest and the British on the east and west coast. The Marathas waged four damaging wars against Haider Ali. But after the death of their leader Peshwa Madhavrao in 1772, Haider Ali sought the friendship of the British so that they could together defeat the Marathas. The British however had other ideas and wanted to undermine his powers and use him. This led to the First Anglo-Mysore War in 1767. Haider Ali's campaign against the British proved successful and he got the British to sign a mutual defence treaty with him. The British went back on their word when they were attacked by the Marathas. In 1780, Haider Ali waged his second battle against the British. He was defending his kingdom as best as he could but then suddenly died of cancer. He was succeeded by his son Tipu Sultan whom he had educated and trained well. Tipu was fluent in a number of languages and was a good student of mathematics and science. He had a great appetite for learning. He was also an avid reader and his library was filled with over 2000 books in different languages. Tipu was given exposure to both military and political affairs at a very young age. Tipu Sultan was born at Devanhali near Bangalore. His father Haider Ali was a military officer in the service of the kingdom of Mysore. Tipu Sultan was introduced to military training by French officers in the employment of his father. By the time he was 15, Tipu had accompanied his father against the British in the First Mysore War in 1766. In 1779, Tipu fought the Second Anglo-Mysore War when the British captured the French-controlled port of Mahe which Tipu had placed under his protection. Tipu's father dispatched 10,000 men and 18 iron cannons. In this battle, Tipu decisively defeated the British and brought down their army of nearly 7,000 men. By the time his father died, Tipu Sultan had gained sufficient military experience and in 1782 became the ruler of Mysore. He then started working on keeping the advances of the British in check by making allies with France, Afghanistan and the Sultan of Turkey. In 1789, Tipu triggered the Third Anglo-Mysore War by attacking the British colony of Travancore. The war lasted three years and brought an end to Tipu as he was forced to sign a treaty where he gave up half his kingdom and two of his sons as hostages until he paid a fine of 3 crores and 30 lakh rupees. After paying the fine, Tipu got back his sons. In 1799, Tipu fought his last war. General Richard Wellesley was on a mission to bring down the crown of Mysore and thus began the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War with their march to Srirangapatnam. Tipu was caught unprepared for battle but kept up to his nickname, the Tiger of Mysore. This time, the British were too powerful and were able to surround the palace. He was however shot dead at the entrance. Tipu Sultan was buried at a mausoleum that he had built himself. He was considered one of the most powerful native princes of India and was said to be the biggest threat to the British position in South India. Rani Lakshmibai Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, was the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi, situated in the northern part of India. Her father worked at the Peshwa court of Bithu and because of his influence at court, Lakshmibai had more independence than most women. She studied self-defense, horsemanship, archery and even formed her own army out of her female friends at court. Lakshmibai was married to Raja Gangadhar Rao Nivalkar, the Maharaja of Jhansi in 1842 at the early age of seven. She gave birth to a son, Damodar Rao in 1851. However, the child died when he was about four months old. After his death, the Raja and Rani of Jhansi adopted Anand Rao. It is said that Gangadhar never recovered from his son's death and died on 21st November 1853. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor General of India at that time, tried to take advantage of the misfortune of Jhansi to expand the British Empire. In 1854, Rani of Jhansi was granted an annual pension of 60,000 and was ordered to leave the Jhansi fort. She was, however, firm on the decision to not give up the dominion of Jhansi to Britishers. For strengthening the defence of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai assembled an army of rebels which also included women. For this great cause, she was also supported by brave warriors like Gulam Gauz Khan, Dost Khan and Diwan Jawahar Singh. On 10th May 1857, the Indian rebellion started in Meerut. This began after the rumour that new bullet casings for the Enfield rifles were coated with pork and beef fat and unrest began to spread throughout India. Rani Lakshmibai had always been hesitant about rebelling against the British. Her hesitation eventually came to an end when British troops arrived under Sir Hugh Rose and laid siege to Jhansi on 23rd March 1858. Along with the young Damodar Rao, the Rani decamped to Kalpi along with her troops where she joined other rebel forces including those of Tatya Tope. However, on 17th June 1858, while battling against the 8th Musars in Kota Ki Serai, near the Phoolbag area of Gwalior, she was killed in battle. The British captured Gwalior three days later. In the British report of the battle, General Sir Hugh Rose commented that the Rani, remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance, had been the most dangerous of all rebel leaders. Her adopted son Damodar Rao fled with his mother's aids.